Any accumulation of toxin within the body due to intake of juices, fruits or vegetables are removed with the help of a short duration therapy known as detox diets. They last up to 3 to 7 days.
These diets help in enhancing circulation, clear the skin, improve immunity and also boost energy. The juices used in the detox diet are made up of a combination of various kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Detox diets have many uses. A major use of this diet is that it will improve food intake and also eating habits related to it, despite gaining any other benefits or not. Detox diets are also responsible for focus and certainty of mind, besides providing physical aid too.
What is a detox diet?
The rushing of today’s life brings lots of excitement to a person’s life. But all the poor lifestyle should also be accounted for like drinking lots of coffee or dining outside. A person’s well-being or health is usually not taken care of due to busy life. The buildup of toxins occurs in the body with bad food choices, being exposed to harmful chemicals and different types of pollution too.
Any toxic presence within the body is cleared away by a detox diet, and it also helps in improving the absorption of minerals and vitamins. This diet is characterized by taking in a lot of fluids, consuming whole natural food items or sometimes even fasting for some days or even a week.
Types of detox diets
Detox diets are quite different from each other when experienced and in terms of intensity.
1. Master Cleanse
The most efficacious is the Master Cleanse one, which includes the preparation of a concoction of lemon juice, cayenne pepper, maple syrup and water intake for ten days total.
2. Juice Diet
The most common detox diet involves juice cleanse in which the person intake consist of only fruit or vegetable juices throughout the whole diet. It is also followed by liver cleansing diets that include drinking large quantities of water, fruit or vegetable juices with controlled potassium intake.
Why should you do a detox diet?
Detox diet offers many uses related to physical and mental health. Besides getting rid of all the toxins in the body, a detox diet has also shown a good impact on mental health.
People who narrate their experiences related to the detox diet say that it brings a feeling of freshness, calm and peace to the body. Greater feelings of energy are also noted by many.
Fasting in many cultures has also brought about feelings of calmness and discipline when observed by others.
So, the concept of fasting or minimizing food intake to specific food items or at specific times of day is not a foreign concept.
Detox diets are mainly used for lowering weight, for decreasing intake of alcohol, tobacco or coffee, to get rid of conditions like headaches or joint pain and also to alter someone’s eating style.
Benefits of Detox Diet
Besides mental peace, several other benefits are obtained from a diet too to build good health; these may be:
· Detox diet for healthy skin and hair
Healthy and glowing skin is obtained by clearing away toxins. Skin also benefits from it with a decrease in acne and skin that is clear from spots and scars.
The diets used also help in keeping the hair shiny and also longer, which is done by clearing away toxins present at the base of follicles that hinder the growth of hair and causes brittle, lifeless hair.
· Detox diet for digestive system and weight loss
An increase in absorption of minerals and vitamins are seen when toxins are removed. Metabolism is also said to be affected by detox diets which leads to long term weight management.
· Detox diet for immune system
As larger quantities of minerals and vitamins are absorbed, and organs also show improvement, immunity is greatly enhanced as a result.
· Improved mental state
Detox diets also help in staying focused, sleeping and keeping a clear mind. So they help in keeping peace of a person’s mental health. Additionally, these diets also decrease any signs of aging that slowly start to appear.
· Detox diet has Antioxidant content
Fruits are rich in antioxidants substances like Vitamins A, C, and E etc. so, a detox diet increases the number of antioxidants in the body. Blood circulation is therefore increased by antioxidants.
· Detox diet for mindful eating
It is not absolute; the working of detox diet; however, the relationship with food will definitely improve and prove to be healthy. This is due to awareness of the food substances being consumed by you.
So, the concept of detox is built around a healthy food lifestyle. You have a newfound respect for your body and are more alert as to what to eat and what effect it shows on the body. Furthermore, it shows balance in life.
How to begin a detox diet?
Many uses come to mind when determining why this diet should be taken. Some steps are mentioned that helps in starting this detox diet:
Before beginning, the first thing that should be done is to talk to a doctor or nutritionist. Make sure that using this dieting strategy won’t cause any harm to your health.
- Be ready for any fatigue, nausea or headaches that may come your way in the start.
- Do not use stimulants like alcohol, tobacco and caffeine. Instead, replace all these with lemon water, herbal or infused tea or simple water.
- Select a detox diet that best fits your needs. The diet is altered according to the person’s own physique and daily calorie consumption.
- Getting rid of toxins may lead to symptoms like headaches, vomiting and nausea, which do not last long and start in the early stages. For these occurrences, better be ready.
- Strategize in such a way that solid food consumption is not stopped. This is due to the fact that a pure detox diet is devoid of the consumption of proteins and carbohydrates required by the body. So proper nutrition should be obtained in a healthy manner.
- Increased intake of fruit and vegetables are encouraged if gut health is in need of improvement as these substances are rich in fiber.
- Do not exercise while following a detox plan. As your body is not getting enough calories, exercising at this time is not recommended. It may lead to fatigue and loss of energy.
- It is likely that the tongue may become coated in this diet. Using a tongue scraper, an excess layer of bacteria can be removed.
- When detox has finished, and you have lost the habit of eating solid food, re-introduce it gradually and with time. Your stomach may upset you if you suddenly start eating solid food again.
For a juice diet:
- Increase intake of fruits and vegetables.
- Juices should be prepared at home as often as possible instead of packaged products since they are rich in sugar and also in preservatives, which negates the effects of diet.
- Try using the whole fruit with the peel while making juice. This is due to the beneficial uses of peel as it contains lots of minerals and nutrients that are useful for the body.
- Drink the juice as soon as possible after making it. Juices should not be stored as they lose their health value with time.
- Plus, fruits that are low in glycemic index, which is low sugar quantity, should be used. Green vegetables contain within them the maximum amount of nutrients, so ignoring their tastes, they should be consumed more.
- Spices or herbs can be added too in order to improve the taste of your concoctions.
- Try to gain substances that are locally produced in order to obtain maximum benefits and nutrition.
- Keep hydrated as much as possible even with the diet. Drinking large quantities of water is necessary as it gets rid of toxins.
Detox Diet Side Effects
The uses of a detox diet are many and quite helpful. But, all these benefits are just theoretical based and proper scientific evidence does not exist that verify these claims.
Natural detox mechanisms
The body has natural processes that get rid of toxins from the body too. Toxins are removed from the body in the form of sweat, urine by the kidneys, the liver, the respiratory system and the immune system.
The diet says that it removes toxins from the body, which the body already does on its own.
Detox diet and Weight loss
Reduction in calorie intake can lead to weight loss in people and also from loss of fluid due to consumption of laxatives.
So, after the diet is finished, you may gain the weight back without any real progress. During the time of this diet, metabolism is reduced, and so when a normal diet is continued, weight gain is quick.
Conclusion
If you want to purify the body, eat right and light, after talking to a nutritionist, a detox diet may be started. Even though they are full of great uses, it is better to check the suitability of a detox diet to your requirements first.
